Aristos Scholars

Meet the New Aristos Scholars for 2009-10

Six new Aristos Scholars were selected for the Scholars Academy based upon the quality of their Aristos grant implementation. The next few editions of MMSD Today will feature a new scholar.

Kate Brien

Kate is a member of the East High English Department. Kate's nominator describes her as an innovator, a dynamic teacher, a leader, creative thinker, curriculum master, an active professional development participant, and a compassionate and committed problem solver. Kate is the first teacher in our district to implement the AVID program. Avid is a program designed to supplement and make significant differences in students' academic achievement.

Kathy Price

Kathy is the district's partnerships coordinator. Many times grant writers believe that the hardest work is completing a grant application, however, as Kathy experienced, execution of the grant can be challenging. Implementation of Kathy's Aristos grant has had its ups and downs. Kathy demonstrated leadership and resourcefulness as she monitored and modified her grant to adjust to changing circumstances. The Aristos program looks for creativity in Scholars, not simply the level of success of their grant project.

Michael Hertting

Mike is principal of Lapham Elementary School. As a new principal at Lapham, Mike examined school data and identified weaknesses in math. He designed and implemented an Aristos grant that supported math professional development for Lapham’s teachers. Through Mike’s leadership the grant brought staff together to address a school need in an exemplary fashion.

2008-09 Scholars

Steve Somerson

Steve is a member of the East High School Math Department. His grant covered the costs of document cameras and digital projectors. Through the use of this equipment teachers are able to share student work with the entire class instantaneously. As a result, math lessons are more efficient, meaningful, and successful.

Julie Palkowski

Julie is the district's Fine Arts Coordinator. Her grant offered students increased skills and knowledge of world cultures through the arts. The grant funded salary support, student transportation, admission, as well as performances.

The results of Julie's grant, not only enriched the cultural experiences of our students, they also strengthened partnerships with community arts groups.

Susan Hamblin

Susan is a Social Studies Instructional Resource Teacher in the Teaching and Learning Department. This grant met a true need at the third grade level, where the study of Madison is required, but there were no Madison materials written at the 3^rd grade reading level.

Susan's grant supported the development of the "History of Madison - the First 150 Years," a booklet and a web-based teachers' curriculum guide for use throughout our elementary schools.

The collaborative grant supported teachers and others as they wrote, evaluated and revised the curriculum.

Debora Gil R. Casado

Debora is a social studies teacher at Memorial High School.

Her Aristos grant funded technical support, teacher planning, and the purchase of equipment needed for Classroom Response Systems. Debora sought to increase student engagement, accountability for learning, and integrate technology into the curriculum through the use of these remote control devices.

Classroom Response Systems allow students to respond to questions, anonymously, providing teachers and students with immediate feedback.